A few Halloween safety tips

Trick-or-treat! In the spirit of October’s sweet and spooky holiday, Halloween, Dr. Talbot & team would like to remind all of our patients to be safe while celebrating with friends and family. The American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, has provided trick-or-treaters with some tips for a ghoulishly good time.

A few Halloween safety guidelines:
• Young children should always be accompanied by an adult
• Carry a flashlight
• Wear a light-colored or reflective costume
• Choose face paint over masks for young ghosts and goblins
• Have an adult inspect all treats before the children dig in

Many treats can cause havoc for trick-or-treaters who are going through orthodontic treatment. If you happen to damage your braces, please give our staff a call immediately. Typically, small problems can be solved over the phone.

We wish you all a happy, safe, and spooky Halloween!

Getting Into the Spirit of Halloween

Team Talbot loves to get in the spirit of Halloween. We will be having our annual Team Pumpkin Decorating Contest. This is our opportunity to put our creative talents to work. We each choose our pumpkins (any size) and decorate it any way we choose. The only limitation on creativeness is there can be no carving or shaving of the pumpkin. We have had some very creative pumpkins in the past. Traditionally we have only been able to have patients and their families in during the week prior to Halloween be able to enjoy and “Vote” on their favorite masterpiece. This year we will take photos on Monday October 25th, post them on Facebook and invite all of our “fans” to vote on their favorite pumpkin!

As you know some traditional Halloween treats can wreak havoc on orthodontic appliances (and teeth!) so we’d like to share some healthy alternative treats: stickers, pencils, note pads, trading cards, or finger puppets. Ration the loot a little at a time. Always brush your teeth well after eating candy and before going to bed.

Celebrating the National Orthodontic Health Month

Promoting National Orthodontic Month is a treat in Dr. Talbot’s practice because it gives us another great reason to promote overall body health. Straight teeth look nice, but it is just as important to have teeth that function properly to maintain our nutritional needs.

Initial consultations are a great place to get a lot of information and plan for your orthodontic future. The AAO recommends that a child first be seen around age 7 or sooner if the general dentist makes a recommendation. October is also a great time to start for families, since it is a popular month for open enrollment for health benefits and health savings accounts for the upcoming year.

Braces and orthodontic appliances for children and adults are very easy to adapt to for all lifestyles. Many people feel they will have to deprive themselves of their favorite foods. We like to encourage patients that it is more about how you eat certain foods. It is important to avoid those very hard, sticky and chewy candies but someone with orthodontic appliances can have things like chocolate candy, Pirates Booty , cookies, ice cream, and brownies. There are still plenty of options for munchies and sweet treats .